Aquascaper 600

[Ch4rlie]

That is looking pretty good to me.

Hair grass and AR can be notoriously hard to grow in some tanks, hopefully the lights at their increased 80% level will do the trick and also cause no further issue with the algae.

 

[Wills]

That is looking pretty good to me.

Hair grass and AR can be notoriously hard to grow in some tanks, hopefully the lights at their increased 80% level will do the trick and also cause no further issue with the algae.

Thanks In the last scape the hair grass was one of the fastest growers but that was under 80-100% power so hoping we can get there I've upped my ferts since then too so should be good, I nudged the lights a few inches towards the front of the tank too.

 

[Ch4rlie]

That makes a lot of sense, I would have done the same thing.

It’s finding that sweet spot that makes it just so rewarding.

Of course plants keeps growing, you’ll have to keep readjusting things at certain points until everything reach a sort of equilibrium and stays steady.

 

[Wills]

So the AR mini has had it... I’ve read that some red plants like soft water so think I’ll chalk it up to that. Trying to decide if I want to replace it with some small red/brown crypts or try Hygrophila Araguia again as it did really well until the algae issue and where the ranunculous inundatus smothered it but this feels like a good spot to try it again.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Hard or soft water definitely has an impact on certain plants imho so it could well be down to that as you suspect.

As you probably gathered, I’m a fan of crypts so would readily recommend those usually for a low to med tech tank but your tank is higher tech, so therefore I would say give the Hygrophila Araguia another try, it’s a nice plant and adds a little bit of elegance to the tank if you know what I mean and hopefully it stays red rather than turning green but suspect with your lights it should be good despite your water hardness.

 

[Wills]

I do have some Crypts in the tank but they are very slow growing - need what I choose to be robust as it will be in between hair grass and helanthium tenelum so needs to avoid being swamped.

Wills

 

[Wills]

After todays water change took the plunge and finally added in my little powerhead. Its on the left with the inlet/outlet at the moment but I was wondering about putting it in the back right. Its running at 40% which is still 2,400 litres per hour - on top of the 900 lph from the filter.

After turning the lights up a bit a fair few plants have been growing well but my carpet still isnt filling in brilliantly... Will have to see how that goes - its not doing badly just slower than I would have hoped.

Do you think I've got my powerhead in the best place to try and get the Co2 evenly distributed around the tank?

Wills

 

[mbsqw1d]

I placed mine above the co2 diffuser, aiming towards the filter inlet. It certainly disperses the tiny co2 bubbles around the water column, however I'm not certain if that is necessarily the way to go about it, and its not a good look, having tiny bubbles scattered everywhere
I understand people drop a small amount of meth blue or some powdered flake food by the powerhead to see how it moves around and gauge the effectiveness of circulation that way?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Do you think I've got my powerhead in the best place to try and get the Co2 evenly distributed around the tank?

Powerhead is next to filter intake, will that effect anything I wonder?

Is the powerhead adjustable to move head in different directions?

Am uncertain tbh but perhaps leave as is and see what happens to see if any improvements.

 

[Wills]

This was my drop checker late last night and this is the corner that previously I wasnt getting any Co2 too as the drop checker was always blue but now it is if anything too green... but its something I can continue to monitor.

I've got the filter outlet on the waterline and it does not look like it is any different so I dont think it is effecting the flow through the filter but I do share the same concerns haha. I think this little powerhead is so powerful that I could put it anywhere and the tank is still going to be in constant flow though.

One thing it has spoiled for me is that I liked the way the plants were growing from the hardscape towards the right side of the tank which the powerhead is moving. Hoping to get some more rock for the back right corner soon so dont want to move things at the moment, if I wasnt going to add anything I think I'd move the Cardamine to the right back corner so it flowed towards the wood and move the lymnophillum to the left behind the wood. Still this is what I like about this scape that it can evolve over time.

Wills

 

[Ch4rlie]

Drop checker colour looks fine to me, not too green tbh.

I know what you mean though when saying can be too green but maybe it’s the picture but looks like light green which looks a good colour imho.

 

[Wills]

Quick water change tonight been getting a bit of green algae and I had a build up of green fuzz algae on the branches at the top of the wood. This has been slowly building for a while but managed to scrub and syphon it off tonight so hoping with the increased flow it wont come back? I've read its due to issues with Co2 circulation so with the new power head that should be fixed.

Think I'm going to have a look for a foreground plant to replace the AR Mini tonight - it will go behind the rocks on the front right and infront of the Helanthium, not sure what to get just yet...

Wills

 

[AilyNC]

Such a beautiful tank. Would you add something red in the front? This lagandra will redden up more and sits so nicely at the front.

(Edit to add pics for @Wills )

 

[Wills]

Yeah I like them actually I just want something low growing but leafy I was wondering about S. Repens?

 

[seangee]

Looking great Wills